1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to methods for installing software and, more particularly, to methods for the secure installation and operation of software applications. The invention also relates to systems for the secure installation and operation of software.
2. Background Information
Known software installation products for Microsoft® Windows®-based platforms are believed to be designed to be generic in nature and do not take advantage of media-specific properties that are not common across all media types. Furthermore, known software products, in general, are believed to be designed to be generic in nature and do not take advantage of media-specific properties that are not common across all media types.
Alternate Data Streams (ADSs) have been available since the NT File Structure (NTFS) was first introduced. In NTFS, everything on disk is a file. For example, the metadata (e.g., eleven metadata files, such as $MFT, the Master File Table, are created in which NTFS stores data associated with disk management) is stored as a set of files. The Master File Table (MFT) is an index of every file on the NTFS logical volume. For each file, the MFT keeps a record containing attributes of information about the file.
It is known to employ an ADS as a secondary storage mechanism when file-specific MFT data exceeds 1,500 bytes. This is an automatic process within the Windows® operating system. It is also known for this operating system to automatically employ ADSs to store thumbnails of all image files stored on an NTFS logical volume. This process is enabled by default, and can be disabled through modification of the system registry. It is believed that no installer has been written to take advantage of NTFS ADSs because Windows®-based installation programs are written to work on FAT, FAT32 and NTFS volumes. Also, FAT and FAT32 volumes do not support ADSs.
Installation logs, application configuration files and other secure data may readily be accessed, archived, compressed, backed up, viewed, scanned, modified, manipulated or deleted by employing conventional techniques, such as, for example, standard system tools. Hence, these files are subject to possible accidental access, storage, modification, use or deletion. Moreover, these files are readily accessible to a user who might improperly seek to intentionally access, archive, view, modify, use or delete the contents. Accordingly, there is room for improvement in methods and systems for the secure installation and operation of software.